Inside the Esper Association headquarters, Elizabeth stepped out of the interrogation room, her expression unreadable.
Waiting for her in the dimly lit corridor was a man with sharp features, his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall.
"Did you get anything from him?" he asked without looking up.
Elizabeth sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It seems like he genuinely doesn’t know anything."
The man hummed thoughtfully. "So this incident isn’t directly related to him… but we still can’t rule out the Minami or Fiolera families’ involvement."
Elizabeth hesitated for a moment before adding, "Something strange happened to the boy."
At that, the man finally turned to face her. "What do you mean?"
"His Esper powers… they’re gone. Completely. As of now, he’s just an ordinary human, not an Esper."
A heavy silence settled between them. The man, deep in thought, narrowed his eyes.
"Any idea why this happened?" Elizabeth pressed.
He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he studied her carefully, his gaze sharp, calculating.
"Could it be related to Miyazaki Aria’s power?" she asked cautiously.
This time, the man’s reaction was different. He stiffened—just for a fraction of a second—but it was enough for Elizabeth to catch it.
He didn’t answer her question. Instead, he turned away. "Just do your job. Observe her. Don’t ask unnecessary questions."
Then, without another word, he walked away.
Elizabeth clenched her fists. "Takeru!" she called after him.
No response.
Frustrated, she raised her voice, her tone sharp with anger and desperation.
"Miyazaki Takeru!!"
At that, the man stopped.
Elizabeth took a step forward. "At least tell me what you know. Trust me—I won’t do any harm to your daughter."
Takeru stood there for a long moment, his back still turned to her. Then, without a word, he resumed walking and disappeared into the darkness of the hallway.
Elizabeth exhaled slowly, her mind racing.
Something was happening.
And Miyazaki Aria was at the center of it.
***
On a certain island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean stood the secret headquarters of a particular secret organization. There, an important meeting was taking place.
"We have finally found it. The vessel of our god has finally been born into this world after thousands of years," said Executive A.
"...Are you sure?... This isn't another false alarm, is it?" asked Executive B.
"...It's real this time... I saw it with my own eyes..." replied Executive A.
"Fufufu... finally, something interesting... May I be the one to capture the vessel?" said Executive C.
"Hey, you damn wench!!... The impact of the incident you caused last time is still lingering. We need to handle this carefully so the Esper Association doesn’t find out," scolded Executive D.
"Don't call me a wench, you damn hobo... Hmph... I will be careful and avoid making a big scene this time," Executive C retorted.
"You?... Not making a scene during a mission?... Hahaha... Don’t make me laugh." Executive D sneered.
A cute voice suddenly shouted.
"Both of you, shut up now!!..." ordered Executive E.
"Sorry, darling, but this idiot started it," said Executive C.
"I started it?!... You're the one who threw out a bad idea during this important meeting!"
"Enough with this useless debate. We must act quickly and decisively. We don’t have time to argue like elementary school kids!" Executive A snapped in frustration.
Executive C and D stopped bickering.
"...Right... So where was the vessel found?" asked Executive B.
Executive A then threw a dart at the map on the wall. The dart landed at a point between the Philippines, Japan, and Micronesia—the federal capital of the Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere. A man-made island housing more than seven million people: Tsukuru City.
"...Hey... Leader... Did you really have to throw a dart at the map? I just bought that map last week," complained Executive E.
"Ah, sorry... I just wanted to look cool. I'll buy a new map after this," said Executive A.
"...Ahem..." Executive A cleared his throat before continuing. "Anyway... The vessel is currently living in Tsukuru City. They are attending a prestigious school called Tsukuru Academy. The academy has tight security, making it difficult to infiltrate. As you all know, Tsukuru City is also home to the headquarters of the Esper Association. Taking the vessel right under their noses will be an extremely difficult task."
Executive A then turned toward Executive C.
"This is not a mission for you."
"...As I said... damn wench," muttered Executive D.
"...Don’t make me start again!!" Executive C snapped.
"Huh... You two should get along if you're really serious about achieving our goal," sighed Executive B.